Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2024 i Cigar Aficionado

Can’t ski, snowboard or climb ice, but still seek a winter adrenaline rush? Look no further than snowmobiling. Even for the unskilled and unfit it’s a thrill with a short learning curve. But don’t skip school. Snowmobiles are heavy, fast and tricky to control, so start with lessons from guides at an expansive groomed trail system. Fortunately, there are many. Snowmobiles have familiar handlebar steering with a throttle and brake control. What you need to learn is to stabilize the machine with your body weight by leaning on turns. Getting up to speed involves recognizing that brakes on a snowmobile are not nearly as responsive as on other vehicles. Of the two types of machines, mountain models are higher performance for deep powder and rugged wilderness. But you should learn…

They won’t let you go to bat in Fenway Park or shoot foul shots in Madison Square Garden any time soon, but you can tee it up and play on golf courses where many of the majors are hosted, striding in the footsteps of golf’s greatest. Take a caddie and stroll these courses, and you are literally walking through golf history. Four times a year, the best golfers in the world compete on the biggest stage in what’s known as the majors. One is held in Great Britain, and the other three are contested in the United States. The Masters is always at Augusta National, a famously private course off limits to everyone except members and their guests. But the other two, hosted by the United States Golf Association (USGA)…

Kelsey Grammer ACTOR Padrón Serie 1926 Forty years ago, Kelsey Grammer appeared for the first time as the character Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit comedy “Cheers.” What was supposed to be a sevenshow gig turned into a career-making move and he’s still playing the character today. After “Cheers” came his own show “Frasier,” which lasted for 11 seasons on NBC and then went into syndication. Last year, the show returned in new form on Paramount Plus, a sequel that continues the story that people just can’t seem to get enough of: The Sherry-sipping psychiatrist who is a bit of a dandy. Season two of the show was released in September. Grammer, 69, who isn’t much like his television alter ego, has said that playing Frasier has been more of…

What kind of a drink almost sparks an international incident? In the case of the 1942 classic Casablanca, it’s a French 75. At Rick’s Café Americain in Vichy France, a German officer calls for two of the cocktails while flaunting his new French girlfriend in front of a Vichy soldier. Whether the order is an insult (the drink is named for a World War I artillery gun) or just meant to get saucy Yvonne drunk (the drink, like the cannon, packs a wallop), a punch-up ensues. Owner Rick is obliged to break it up, saying, “Lay off the politics or get out.” Don’t expect such contretemps when you ask for this weaponized Champagne cocktail, but a bit of a border dispute remains in its history. While currently accepted as a…

Bret Baier is the anchor and executive editor of “Special Report With Bret Baier,” the top-rated cable news program in its time slot, which is viewed by more than two million people every night. The 54-year-old Baier has been with Fox News for 27 years, and has had a front-row view of American politics and world affairs. Over his long career he has interviewed some of the most important people in the world, including several sitting American presidents (President Donald Trump, President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush), Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and many other people of influence. Given Baier’s access and insight into the workings of American politics, Cigar Aficionado’s editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken invited…

Between $50,000 hands of baccarat in a private gaming salon at the Cosmopolitan and five-figure blackjack limits being pressed at the Wynn, plenty of high-stakes action goes down in the posh gambling dens of Las Vegas. But for some two months each summer, the city’s poker mecca is a stretch of converted conference rooms without any showy frills at Horseshoe Las Vegas. The multievent World Series of Poker, held in conjunction with the Paris Las Vegas next door, is highlighted by the Super High Roller No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament contested by 75 players who each put up a $250,000 buy-in for a chance at the lion’s share of $18.75 million. With its first prize of more than $5.4 million, Las Vegas gambling does not get much headier than this. This…

Connoisseurs of high-end luxury come in many forms. Some prefer classical representations of affluence, while others have an appreciation for novelty and eccentricity. It’s the time-honored Rolls Royce versus this year’s sports car, the traditionalist versus the free-wheeling independent. If the latter befits you, consider the Fluo collection from French cigar accessories manufacturer S.T. Dupont. Each entrant in the company’s new selection of high-end, matte black lighters is accentuated with a burst of bright neon colors that marries refined opulence with unabashed vibrancy. The complete Fluo collection includes a series of lighters from S.T. Dupont’s core portfolio, as well as cutters, pens and cigar cases. All are available in each of the three neon color finishes: blue, green and orange. The lineup is headlined by the French manufacturer’s Le Grand…

In early June of 2022, Jason Naftzinger of Easton, Pennsylvania, was standing atop a set of outdoor stairs on the side of his home when chaos ensued on his quiet, suburban street. A behemoth, 1,000-pound slab of granite (10 feet long and more than four feet wide), hanging from the boom of a crane, began relentlessly spinning in midair as Naftzinger nervously watched on, hoping it wouldn’t go plunging to the street below. The piece was designated to top a bar he built in his nearly finished cigar loft above his garage. It was the last, critical leg of a grueling two-year process that included home remodeling work, meticulous planning and DIY. The fate of his dream smoking room hung in the balance of this expensive, now-spiraling slab of granite.…

98 PUNCH CHURCHILL (1991) Big Punch cigars can be glorious, and this stately Churchill—which is one year older than this magazine—doesn’t disappoint. It has a true box press, its edges squared by being compressed into a dress box next to its neighbors. It starts off with an earthy core balanced by copious coffee bean notes, a wisp of leather and a light chocolate sweetness. About halfway through, it hits a new gear, picking up strength and complexity, evoking flavors of almond paste and cappuccino. Wonderfully balanced, teeming with flavor and hard to put down. —David Savona 98 DAVIDOFF 4000 (CIRCA 1980) Genuinely authentic and smooth with a perfect draw. Nutmeg flavors come through with very satisfying clarity while faint notes of citrus and lemon bring some zesty detail. Some Cuban Davidoffs…